Sliding door lock and latch



D c- 20, 1 5 A. R. ADAMS 2,727,771

SLIDING DOOR LOCK AND LATCH Filed June 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l ARTHUR R. ADAMS INVENTOR.

Home I Dec. 20, 1955 R ADAMS 2,727,771

SLIDING DOOR LOCK AND LATCH Filed June 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ARTHUR R; ADA M8 INVENTOR.

' flllorney Unite present.

2,727,771 SLIDING noon LOCK AND LATCH Arthur R. Adams, Pasadena, Calif. Application June 14, 1954, Serial No. 436,306 12 Claims. Cl. 292-17 This invention relates to separable means for holding parts together, and particularly to an improvement for holding the parts locked after they have been brought together, simply by rotating oneof the'elernents already Thei'nve'ntion is particularly adaptable in a device for holding a sliding door incl'osed position inja dolor frame. The invention may, however, be used in other applications where "it is desired to releasably latch two parts tog-ether, and at times to'positively lock the partstcgether. The'invention may "conceivably find applications in connection with seat or cargo tie-downs; as a holding device for conveyorbeltsorfor shipping pallets; or it may beuscd as a small 'luggage'or suitcase catch. Theinventionmight'be'utilized in other suitable applications. 7

This invention'isa continuahon-m part of this lnventorseariier filed application, Serial No. 387,399, filed 'Gctober 2i, l953; and also, earlier filed application, Serial No.]436,305,filed Zune 14, 1954.

door and its frame, without utilizing additional structural elements.

It is another object of the inventiontoprovide a releasablelatching device for"separable parts having a resilient projection extending from one part into an 'opening in the other part, wherein positive locking is'ach'ieved by rotating the resilient projection-to a'position preventing its withdrawal from the other part.

The projection referredto may take the form-of a bolt having a compressible-expansihle knob 'or 'head rotatable to a position wherein resiliency 'of the head will not permit withdrawal of the projection "from its cooperating opening. ln general; the invention has theobjectives of inexpensiveness, and that itbefoolproof tomaniifacture, install and service. Theinvention accomplishes its purpose positively and with a reduced number ofhioving parts, adapting themselves well to "manufacturing methods and assembly. The invention is not'seri'ously limited to any particular dimensions, shapes or configurations of separable parts to which it may be adapted.

Further objects and numerous 'adclit'ional'a-dvan'tages of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view showing all the parts of the device of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section, showing slidingdoor and'frame, with the device of the in'latched position. r l j V Fig. '3 is a detail view of the "strike platewhich receives part of a invention "theresilient projection;

States Pate'fit Ofiice supported and are contracted, as will be describedytoan 2,727,771 Patented Dec. 20, 1955 Fig. 4is an exploded view of a modified form of the invention; I

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the strike plate used with the form of the invention of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 6 is a'detail view of the projection engaged in the strike plate of the receptacle; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Pig. 6.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 aiid 3 of the drawings in detail, numeral It designates aportion of the front face of a sliding door 12 in engagement with a'door frame 13. In Fig. 2 the door is in closed position, with the device of the invention latched. The front'edge face '14 of the door is in engagement with the edge face 15'of thefr'ame l3.

The frame 13 has therein a receptacle -16'having an opening 17 which receives a projection 18 carried by the door 12 in a position projected from its edge face 14. inthe form of the invention shown, the projection 18 is in the form of a rounded knob 'or head 19 which is slightly pointed as shown, arranged to expand in the receptacle l6 beyond the opening '17, so that removal'of the knob 15 from the receptacle '16 requires contraction or compression of the knob 19, as will be'describcd.

As shown in Fig. l, the receptacle l6 comprises'a dished washer 2d, and means for supporting the Washer 211 in a shallow recess 2i, formed by a woodbit'in the edge'face 15 of the door frame 13. The means for-holding the dished washer 2% in the recess 21, comprises a circular shallow dished member 22 having a cylindrical Wall 23 and a radially extending wall 24, there being openings for the passage of screws 25 in both thememhers 2-0 and 22, so that the receptacle 16 will be firmly held in place. A hole at is drilled inwardly from the bottom of the recess 21 to accommodate "that portion of the knob 1% which projects inwardly from the receptacle 16.

As may be seen in Fig. l, the projection 18 comprises the head or knob 19 and a shank 27, whichshank in the assembled position of the parts extends into a sleeve 23 which is extended through an opening 2% which connectstheedge face of the door lZwvith a larger opening or chamber 39 which is bored'th ough the edge'portion ll? of the door from the front face ll to the rear face thereof, as shown in Pig. 2, the axisof the opening 3!} being perpendicular to the axis of the opening 29 and intersecting the same. The sleeve 23 has on its front end a dished flange 32 which is countersunk into theedge face it of the door 12, and screws 33 are extended through the flange 32 and through screwopenings3'4, the inner threaded ends 35 being threaded into'a plate 3-5 which rests in a recess 37 which extends from the circular wall of the opening 3d and surrounds the sleeve 28. This prevents the pulling out of the sleeve 23 from the door except by breaking out of the wood between the edge face i lof the door 12 and the opening 30.

The knob 19 and the shank 27 are formed from sheet metal so as to provide a hollow pin structurehaving'a longitudinal slot 29 which extends along'one side'of the pin structure and around the knob, and partly along the length of the knob on the other side. The knob thus has two parts or halves 19a and 1912 which are resiliently compressible towards each other.

When the knob 19 is pushed into or'pulled from the each other so that the knob 19 will be compressed or extent permitting it to pass through the opening 17 in the plate or'wash er "20 of the receptacle 16.

The invention provides a particular"adjustingarrange ment for the knob 19 so that it cannot bepulle'dout of the opening 17 of the receptacle 16, thereby preventing the door from being opened from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3. Whereas the knob 19 normally releasably latches the parts together, as will now be described it may be rotated to a position wherein it serves to positively lock the parts together. It will be observed that in the normal latching of the parts, the head 19 is compressed as it passes through the opening 17 of the plate 20, this opening being elongated laterally, or rather, narrowed in a vertical direction as shown in Fig. 3, so that the halves 19a and 1% are forced together as they pass through the opening; that is, opening 17 is generally elliptical. The halves 19a and 19b re-expand after they pass through the opening. The upper and lower portions of the opening 17 are defined by arcuate walls or lips to engage the diametrally opposed faces of the knob parts 19a and 1% when the largest diametral portion of the knob 19 has passed through the opening 17. Thus, the knob 19 is normally releasably held in the receptacle 16, requiring a certain amount of force to remove it. For positively locking the parts together the projection is rotatable in sleeve 28 while the head 19 is engaged in receptacle 16. The projection 18 carries a laterally extending pin 46 movable in an arcuate slot 47 in the side of sleeve 28. Numeral 4S designates an actuating lever for projection 18 which extends laterally from projection 13 through an opening 50 in a cover plate 52, and through a sliding shoe 53 on the outside of the cover plate. Thus, projection 18 may be rotated into and out of locking position by the lever 43. In locking position the slot 29 is displaced 90 from the major axis, that is, the longer axis of opening 17. In this position, as will be observed, the lips, or upper and lower edges of opening 17 engage behind the head 19, and since the slot 29 is not coincident with the shorter axis of opening 17, the head 19 cannot be contracted to allow its withdrawal from the opening, and the parts are positively locked together. The circular shoulder, as between the head 19 and shank of projection 18, is relatively sharp so that the head can be firmly held by the shorter axis of opening 17. The front cover plate 5.2 is seated in the front portion of the opening 30, this cover plate having a flange 59 extending outwardly over the adjacent portion of the front face 11 of the door 12. The rear portion of the opening or cavity 39 is closed by a rear cover plate 60, in general similar to the front cover plate 52, but having therein a diametrally arranged bar 61 provided with threaded openings 62 to receive screws 63, which are extended across the intervening space from the bottom wall of the front cover plate 54.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will observe that I have provided a device for releasably latching separable parts together, in which there is provided a very simple and effective means for positively locking the parts as desired. The positive locking is achieved simply by the 90 rotation of the latching pin or projection. The mechanism utilizes a reduced number of simple parts, providing for foolproof manufacture, installation and maintenance. The device can be made completely effective for its purpose in that the head of the projection when rotated, positively engages the lips of the opening in the receptacle, to prevent its withdrawal.

Referring to Figs. 4, and 6 of the drawings, there is shown a modified form of the invention, wherein the positive locking of the parts is achieved in a different manner. The parts that are different in the present modification of the invention are numbered using numerals 100 higher than corresponding parts in the previous modification, other parts being the same in the two modifications. In Fig. 4 the projection or pin is indicated at 118 and it is similar to that of the previous modification except that each of the halves 119a and 11912 of the head 119 has a lateral notch or slot as indicated at 166 and 167. The strike plate of the receptacle for the projection has a cross-bar or member 168 extending across the central part of the opening 17. The knob 119 is received in the opening 17 as in the previous modification; however, in the present form of the invention the bar or cross-member 168 is received in the not 129 of the pin or projection 118, in a position adjacent to the slots or notches 166 and 167 in the halves 119a and 11% of the head 119. The relative positions of these parts is shown in Fig. 6, and as can be seen, when the projection is rotated about its longitudinal axis, as in Fig. 6, the notches or slots 166 and 167 move in a manner to straddle, or, that is, engage with the transverse bar member 168, in a manner to positively prevent retraction of the projection 118. In order to retract the projection it must be rotated back into a position in which the slot 129 is horizontal and in which the notches 166 and 167 do not engage the transverse member 168. The operation of the present embodiment is otherwise the same as that of the previously described embodiment.

In both forms of the invention the knob or head of the projection is formed so as to be sufiiciently pointed such that if it strikes the strike plate in a locked or partly locked position, that is, a rotated position, the engagement of the head with the strike plate will have a camming action, returning it to horizontal position of the slot in the projection, so that it can enter the opening 17 in a normal manner. The embodiment of the invention of Figs. 4, 5 and 6 provides for positive physical interlocking between the projection and the receptacle by way of pin and slot connections as shown, whereby retraction of the projection is dependent upon rotation of the projection back to a position in which the slot in it is horizontal.

The foregoing disclosure represents preferred forms of my invention, it being understood that the invention is susceptible of variations and modifications, and adaptability to different environments. The disclosure is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, the scope of the invention to be in accordance with the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means forming an opening in the other part, adapted to receive and retain the projection, the projection having resiliency to enable it to pass through said opening and the projection being rotatable to another position in said opening, the projection having an unyielding portion in engaging relation with a part of said opening at said position whereby the parts are positively locked together.

2. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said last means having a lip, and the said projection having resiliency to enable it to override the lip, the said projection being rotatable to a locking position; and means whereby in said position the second mentioned means engages the projection to positively prevent its withdrawal.

3. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said last means having a lip, the said projection having resiliency to enable it to override the lip, the said projection being rotatable to a locking position, and the projection and the second means having mutually engageable unyielding parts at said position whereby the parts are positively locked together at said position.

4. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means having an opening in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said last means having a lip, and the said projection having a lip engaging portion having resiliency to enable it to override the lip to provide a releasable latching arrangement, the said projection being rotatable to a locking position, the projection and the second means having mutually engageable parts at said position whereby to positively lock the parts together.

5. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means forming an opening in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said opening being of generally elliptical shape, the projection having an enlarged head and having resiliency enabling it to pass through the opening and to be releasably engaged thereby; and means to rotate the said projection to a position wherein an unyielding portion of the projection is adjacent the shorter axis of the opening whereby the parts are positively locked together.

6. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part, the said projection having an enlarged head formed in sections resiliently compressible towards each other; means forming an opening in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said opening having a dimension requiring contraction of the said sections in order for the head to pass therethrough; and means for rotating the said projection to another position in said opening, the said projection having an unyielding portion engaging a portion of said opening at said position whereby the parts are positively locked together.

7. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means forming an opening in the other part, adapted to receive and retain the projection, the projection having resiliency to enable it to pass through said opening and one of said means being rotatable to another position in said opening, the projection having an unyielding portion engaging a part of said opening at said position whereby the parts are positively locked together.

8. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said last means having a lip, and the said projection having resiliency to enable it to override the lip, the said projection being rotatable to a locking position, the projection having a shoulder and the second means having a conformation adapted to be engaged by said shoulder in said position for positively locking the parts together.

9. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said last means having a lip, and the said projection having resiliency to enable it to override the lip, the said projection being rotatable to a locking position, the projection and the second means having pin and slot connections at said position whereby the parts are positively locked together at said position.

10. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means having an opening in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said last means having a lip, and the said projection having a lip engaging portion having resiliency to enable it to override the lip to provide a releasable latching arrangement, the said projection being rotatable to a locking position, the projection and the second means having mutually engageable parts comprising an inwardly extending member in said opening and a slot in said projection whereby to positively lock the parts together in said position.

11. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part; means forming an opening in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said opening being of generally elliptical shape, the projection having an enlarged head and having resiliency enabling it to pass through the opening and to be releasably engaged thereby; means to rotate the said projection to another position; and means providing pin and slot connections between the projection and the second means at said other position whereby the parts are positively locked together.

12. In a device for separably attaching relatively movable parts, in combination: means forming a projection extending from one part, the said projection having an enlarged head formed in sections resiliently compressible towards each other; means forming an opening in the other part adapted to receive and retain the projection, the said opening having a dimension requiring contrac tion of the said sections in order for the head to pass therethrough, and having a member adapted to be received between said sections; and means for rotating the said projection to another position in said opening, at least one of said sections having a slot engageable with said member at said position whereby the parts are positively locked together.

Germany Oct. 17, 1951 France May 16, 1951 

